Spring Pea Soup with Herbs

1. Heat butter or oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add red pepper and toss in the melted butter for 1-2 minutes. 2. Add onion and sauté until translucent, 4-6 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant. 3. Add potato and vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook covered for 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked and tender. 4. Add the peas and return to a low simmer. Cook for 4 minutes, or until the peas are barely tender and still vibrant green. 5. Remove from the heat and pour into a blender with the lemon juice, mint, chives, salt, and pepper. Pulse for 20-30 seconds or until mostly smooth with some texture remaining. 6. Return to pot and heat gently to rewarm. 7. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and crème fraiche (or coconut milk), and a sprinkle of red pepper, flaky sea salt, and croutons. 8. Alternately, you can serve this soup cold. Simply add the crème fraiche or coconut milk to the blender in Step 5, then chill the soup for 1 hour or overnight.